Electrical connecter



Sept. 3, 1929. B. A. LUNDY ELECTRICAL CQNNECTER Filed Sept. 5, 1927 M (gzoewtoz a I 351 M Gum; W

Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES BEVERLY A. LUNDY, OF LARCHMONT, NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER.

Application filed September 3, 1927. Serial No. 217,325.

This invention relates to electrical conductors particularly to eonnecters therefor, and more especially to connecters for attaching a branch or tap to a line wire.

It is well understood by those skilled in the electrical art, and especially by those skilled in that branch thereof, known as electric railway signalling, that it is frequently necessary to position a conductor at one of the poles positioned along a railroad track, which conductor is connected at one end to one of the line wires supported by the pole and at the other end is connected to an instrument positioned on or near the ground. It is also well known that a great difference exists in the manipulative skill of workman in making a joint between a tap wire and a line wire and that failures have often occurred.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a device by means of which a most inexpert and careless workman may successfully make a thoroughly good joint between two conductors, especially between a line wire supported on poles, and an adjacent wire connecting to an instrument on the ground near the pole line.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invent-i011 in detail, and a particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, and the illustrative figures thereon in which similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating a pole line and a tap connected to one of the wires thereof by the use of the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevational view of a device embodying the invention and showing two conductors connected thereby; Fig. 3, an end view of the device as shown. by Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1, the numeral 1, designates a pole to which is attached the cross arm 2, hav- .ing a plurality of insulators, as 3, supporting line wires 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

9 designates a conductor which connects electrically with line wire 7 and is shown as connected. thereto by means (it device em bodying applicants invention and designated generally by 10.

In order to make the connection between the line wire 7 and the conductor branch or tap 9, the line wire 7 is fastened securely at its end about the insulator 3, and has a portion 11 extending upwardly toward the de vice 10. The conductor 9 also extends upwardly and into the device 10, and is supported by any suitable form of clip as 12.

In order to make the electrical connection between the extension 11 of the line wire 7 and the conductor 9, the ends of both are bared for a certain distance as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, in which the bared end 11 is designated 13 and the bared end of 9 is designated 14.

After the ends of the conductors 9 and 11 are bared as explained, they are pushed a certain distance into a fairly easily pierceable member 1 5 which is so shaped as to just fit snugly within the shell 16. This material of which the member 15 is made, is preferably a material such as cork.

This cork fits tightly within the shell 16, and after the wires 9 and 11 are suitably in serted into the material, molten solder is poured into the shell 16, so as to preferably fill the same up to the point 18 which is the point at which the wire is no longer bare. This of course, should be done while the shell is up side down, so that the molten metal will not run out.

After the molten metal has been poured into the shell, a layer of protective material 19 is then poured into the shell ektending to the line 20. This protective material may be any of the well known insulating compounds which may be melted by heat and poured, and which will then solidify on cooling. This material completely fills the shell 19 from side surface to side surface and so prevents the entrance of moisture which if allowed to enter might corrode the conductors.

After the different materials have beenplaced into the surrounding shell 16, the whole device as 10 is moved to a position so that the mouth or opening points down wardly as shown in Fig. 1.

The shell 16 may be of many shapes, but the one shown in the drawing is preferred, and it is preferred to have an enlarged skirt portion 21, so that water running down the outside surface of the shell will be guided away" from the wires or conductors 9' and 11;

The shell 16 may be made of various materials, but it is preferred to make the shell of a nonconducting material, and preferably fiber or hard rubber.

Although the illustration of a specific embodiment of the invention illustrates but two conductors as connected,- it is of course to be understood that as many conductors may be connected as may be inserted in the shell endwise.

Although applicant has described and illustrated one particular physical embodiment only of the invention, and explained the principle and operation thereof, nevertheless, it is to be understood that the particular physical embodiment shown, is merely illustrative and does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of means underlying the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a connecter for conductors, in combination: a shell formed with an opening at one point; a wire pierceable body in the shell for receiving the bared metallic ends of conductors; a layer of solder positioned above the said body and surrounding and connecting the bared ends of conductors inserted in the body and a layer of insulating material positioned over the solder and surrounding the conductors and contacting all around the inside surface of the shell.

2. The method of making an electrical and mechanical joint between electrical conductors which consists in first-inserting the ends of the conductors into a pierceable body of material inserted in a shell having one closed end and then pouring into the shell a quantity of molten solder and then pouring into the shell a quantity of molten insulating material.

8. The step in the process of making an electrical connection between conductors which consists in positioning the conductors adjacent by inserting the ends in a pierceable body of material.

4. The steps in the process of making an electrical connection between conductors which consists in positioning the conductors adjacent by inserting the ends in a pierceable body of material, positioned in a container closed at one end and then pouring into the container a body of molten solder.

5. A shell for a connecter formed as a substantially hollow right cylinder having one end closed and the other end open and the wall adjacent the open end flared to form a skirt, and provided at the closed end inside with a body of easily pierceable material for the reception of the ends or" conductors.

BEVERLY A. LUN DY. 

